An international team of researchers has succeeded in identifying and analyzing dozens of medieval graffiti in one of Christianity’s holiest sites, the Cenacle of Jerusalem, the place where tradition says the Last Supper took place. At the top of Mount Zion in Jerusalem stands a site of extraordinary religious significance for the three major monotheistic […]
Medieval Archaeology
Some of the key areas excavated and analyzed by medieval archaeologists include villages and farmsteads, noble or royal manors, monastic sites, pilgrimage churches, castles and fortifications. By investigating everything from pots and pans to palaces, medieval archaeology helps shed light on changes in technology, economy, trade, dietary practices, craft industries and more during this diverse historical epoch.
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
Strange Carolingian-Era Graves with Unusual Positions and Orientations Found on the Island of Ré
Located on the northern coast of the island of Ré, in southwestern France, La Flotte has been a strategic enclave since ancient times and may have served as a mooring port. Its archaeological history suggests that this area has witnessed intense maritime interactions since Antiquity, playing a key role in the commercial and military movements […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
The Sasanian Royal Garden of Qaṣr-e Šīrīn: A Lost Paradise That Inspired Garden Design from Persia to Al-Andalus
For centuries, the monumental complex of Qaṣr-e Šīrīn, located in the province of Kermanshah, Iran, has been the subject of study by historians and archaeologists. However, one of its most fascinating elements, the Royal Garden, has received relatively little attention until recent times. A meticulous analysis of archaeological excavations and aerial imagery reveals that this […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
Discovery of a Medieval Latrine Confirms the Location of the Last Anglo-Saxon King’s Residence depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry
Recent archaeological findings have shed new light on a long-standing mystery about Harold Godwinson, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England. A collaborative study conducted by the Universities of Newcastle and Exeter has identified the location of a previously lost royal residence in Bosham, West Sussex. This site, depicted in the famous Bayeux Tapestry, has been […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
Two Communities of Eastern and Western Origin Coexisted Peacefully South of Vienna for Six Generations in the Avar Empire
An international team of researchers, led by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, has conducted an unprecedented archaeogenetic study on the life and structure of Avar communities in the Early Middle Ages (567–822 CE). Specifically, the analysis of human remains from more than 700 individuals buried in the cemeteries of Mödling and Leobersdorf, located […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
The famous Sutton Hoo tombs may belong to Anglo-Saxons who served in the Byzantine army fighting against the Sassanids in the 6th century
Sutton Hoo, one of England’s most iconic archaeological sites, has once again captured the attention of historians and archaeologists following the publication of a recent study in which Helen Gittos, a researcher at the University of Oxford, reveals possible connections between the Anglo-Saxons and the Byzantine world. This discovery, which could rewrite the history of […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
Mysterious Medieval Discs Found in Ukraine Are Solar Compasses Used by Viking Navigators for Orientation
A recent study published by scholars Olena Veremeychyk and Olga Antowska-Gorączniak analyzes the possible function of pyrophyllite discs found in southern Ukraine. These medieval artifacts may have served as tools, ritual objects, or even advanced navigation instruments. The significance of this study lies not only in the physical findings but also in the cultural and […]
Posted inClassical Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology
A lovely bronze figurine found in the Negev desert reminded its Middle Ages owner of its Roman origins
In the ruins of Shivta, an ancient and small Byzantine village located in the arid Negev Desert, researchers discovered a unique bronze figurine depicting a seated child. This seemingly ordinary find tells a fascinating story spanning centuries and reveals the cultural exchange between the Roman and Byzantine periods. Shivta, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
First Tomb of a Warrior Woman from the 10th Century Discovered in the Carpathian Basin
An exceptional archaeological discovery has been revealed at the Sárrétudvari–Hízóföld cemetery, located in Hungary. Researchers have identified the first known tomb of a woman buried with weapons in the Carpathian Basin, dating to the 10th century, during the Hungarian Conquest period. This discovery challenges traditional conceptions about gender roles in medieval Central European societies and […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
Mysterious Viking Women’s Tombs Filled with Extraordinary Artifacts Discovered in Norway Contain No Human Remains
At the Skumsnes farm, located on Norway’s west coast, metal detector enthusiasts discovered a coin and a brooch with textile remnants in this area last year. Now, archaeologists from the University of Bergen have confirmed that these objects come from a Viking cemetery dating to the first half of the 9th century. According to researchers, […]
